Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-07-08
A WOMAN'S BRAVERY.

When the ship Sunderland left New
York, bound for Montevideo, she had in
part a ''shanghed" crew; that is, men
who had been made drunk and brought
on board, without their knowledge or
consent. just before sailing. Seamen
We're scarce in New York at that time. so
the shipping agent had resorted to that
method to furnish the vessel her compile
ment of men,
While she was being lowed through
the Narrows the officers went forward
and reused up the drunken, half stupe-
fled men in the forecastle. The latter
were villainous looking set of men. and,
to the surprise of the mates, only a few
We're found to be seamen, the rest being
toughs or 'longshoremen. They lurched
about the deck quarreling and threaten
ing violence if the ship was not put back.
Capt. White had been deceived by the
shipping agent, and, going forward. ascer-
tanned that none of the crew had families
or any responsible occupation. He told
them they would have to make the best
OF the situation. as he must proceed on
his voyage. 1t was the result of their
own folly that they We're on board.
At this they refused point blank to
work the ship. However, none of them
dared look into the muzzle of the cap
tain S revolver, so the boatswain and
second mate, with many kicks and blows,
at last forced them to make sail. and
three or four sailors going aloft to loose
the canvas. while the new hands on decl
did the hauling.
The first day at sea is always a trying
one for both officers and men. A ship
just leaving port is in about the condition
of newly rented house on the first day.
The mates do not know what to expect
from the crew. nor do the men know
whether their officers intend to treat them
with respect or to bully them. Conse-
quently each class watches the other with
distrust.
Of course, with the Sunderland's crew
the day was a continuous wrangle. A
part of the men not being practical sailors,
they were almost useless.
Toward night the wind increased to
gale, and the frightened landsmen were
driven into the rigging to reef topsails
They had to be followed aloft, and shown
what to do with the reef points. The po-
sition of man upon the topsailyard, try
ing to reef heavy sail whipping in the
wind, is not secure, even if he is an old
sailor. The longshoremen found they
wanted both hands to hang on with. The
mates managed to make them gather in
the sail during steady spell, but when
the ship gave lee lurch, and the yard
canted up at a right angle. their feet
slipped along the foot rope, and letting go
the sail, they all grabbed for the lack
stay
After a great deal of exertion, the Of
ficers reefed the fore and main topsails,
with but little help from the seasick men.
The mizzen topsail blew away before it
could be secured.
The ship was heavily loaded, and
labored badly in the brisk sea, which
soon followed the coming of the gale.
The captain preferred to drive her with
single reefed topsail, for he knew that if
be started his halliards the sails would
Stat to pieces before his clumsy crew
could smother them. Each heavy gust
pressed the lee rail down into the water,
and the spray flew over the bows in
continuous shower.
The discomfort among the men grew
more violent as darkness increased, and
they began to feel the agonies of seasick-
ness augmented by wet clothes and the
raw autulnnal wind
They quickly made up their minds to
mutiny. and while crouched in the lee of
the deck house to escape the spray ar
ranged for concerted action at the first
opportunity.
Before long voice was heard calling:
"Stand by the weather main braces!"
They went aft to the braces, and when
the second mate noticed all hands We're
there he advanced to ask why the watch
below were on deck. For answer he was
knocked down by blow from a capstan
bar and quickly bound, hand and foot,
with ropes ends.
Then they rushed upon the captain.
who shot the foremost through the shout
der, but the revolver was knocked away
and his throat clutched by the fingers of
burly stevedore, whose other hand was
raised to stab him.
At this crisis there was heard a shrek
so loud and unexpected that the aston
ished ruffians remained motionless for an
instant. A white form, with long blonde
hair streaming in the wind, bounded
through the cabin door, and, rushing
upon the captains assailant, caught the
knife before it could descend.
Terror stricken, the superstitious men
fell back. Before the surprise was over
the otIer o1ncers ran up from below, and
the mutineers were soon cowed and driven
off the quarterback.
The woman was the captains wife.
The men did not know that she was on
board; SO her sudden appearance and
brave defense of her husband had made
them waver at the time when success de-
pended upon immediate action.
After this there were no more open
acts of mutiny; but the crew worked with
sullenness which showed that the fire of
discomfort was not quenched but smol-
dering. One trifiing cause served TO TO
ment the bitter feeling between men and
officers, which, under different circum-
stances, would have been considered a
joke.
The mate had a parrot, which was
given the freedom Of the decks when the
ahiD had run down into xpar,,, xraatbo-